Smallville: An End to a Beginning
by NightyNightUK
Summary: this is the first installment in my attempt to create a series of Smallville fics that help to bridge the gap between the show, the movies and modern comics p.s. this fic is an amalgam of what i think superman is. LoisClark
1. Prologue: The End

Smallville: An End to a Beginning

Prologue "The End"

She was beautiful. He had never told her that. Not that he would ever tell her. They had a unique relationship Lois and Clark. Clark had known Lois for several years and in that time he had come to respect even love her. Clark was standing by his window looking out at the drive leading to the Kent farm. His loft in the old barn was drafty but he hardly noticed. He had called Lois a few hours ago; he desperately hoped that she would understand what he wanted to tell her. Fear was his biggest concern, it was fear that had lead Lex on his ridiculous manhunt that had lasted nearly five years. Five long years that Clark had to constantly look over his shoulder, for fear that Lex would launch some sort of mad scheme to out what Clark really was. Fortunately, Lex had never found out Clark's secret however, a wedge had slowly separated the two, there was nothing Clark could do for Lex now, and he hardly even acknowledged that Clark existed. Clark loved Lois a great deal but he was afraid of how she might think of him once she found out that he was an alien.

His thoughts broke when he saw Lois's car come up the drive. Deciding it was now or never Clark descended the stairs to his loft and meet Lois's car right out side the barn.

Lois climbed out of her car and looked wryly at Clark.

"What is this all about Smallville?" Clark had called her to say that he had something very important to tell her.

"I have to show you something Lois." Lois always seemed to have a commanding presence. She seemed intimidating even to a man invulnerable to anything on earth. "My parents found something in the meteor shower years ago." He was not sure how to say this with out sounding like a loon. "Here I'll show you."

"Come on don't tell me I drove all the way out here to see some space rock." She had come to think of Clark as a good friend someone that she could rely on. The sound of his voice on the phone had sounded frightened.

"Just follow me" he led her through the barn to a set of old storm doors that opened to a small basement. "Down here"

Lois followed Clark down a set of old wooden stairs. In the middle of the room was a large object covered by a brown tarp. "Come on Smallville you better have a good explanation for this." Clark had lit an old oil lamp hanging from the ceiling.

"There aren't very many people I've shown this too" Clark was having second thoughts.

"Let's get this over with ok." She was starting to mad, she had come here thinking he needed her to help him trough more Lana related trouble. However, this whole charade was getting out of hand.

"Ok but what ever you do don't freak out ok." Clark moved over to the tarp and quickly flung the fabric off his space ship.

What Lois saw in front of her was sick. She had never felt more made at Clark then she did right then, and it showed her face went red she had to clench her fists together to keep from screaming.

She had been in a state of complete emotional upheaval wondering how she was going to fix whatever part of Clarks heart Lana had broken this time. However, to have Clark drag her down to a cellar to pull some sort of prank on her was just too much.

Then something unexpected happened. Clark had pulled some sort of metal disk out of his pocket and fitted it into a slot on the would be spacecraft. However much to Lois's dismay the ship reacted to the disk and the egg shaped center of the craft changed, shifted, a hatch was revealed. Inside the ship was a soft cushion like that of a baby bed. All along the side of the odd looking crib where crystalline structures. However, this was not all, if it where Lois could have chalked it up to some sort of prop from a movie. However, once the hatch was open Clark reached inside and began lifting crystals from there place and sliding them down into small glass cylinders. After Clark had moved several crystals, a voice could be heard coming from the craft. After a second a holographic image appeared. The image was that of a gray haired man wearing strange white colored robes. Lois was beside herself, there was not an explanation for this. Then it finally hit her regardless of the fact that this all sounded absurd. The reporter in her could not help putting together the facts. Clark had said this had been in the meteor shower that had occurred nearly 15 years ago. Moreover, the Kent's had found it. The shower took place about same time that the Kent's had adopted Clark. The final piece of the puzzle came crashing down like a ton of bricks. The man in the image looked almost exactly like Clark.

She needed to sit down. With out saying a word Lois turned around and climbed the stairs back to the barn. She could here Clark say something to her but she did not want to talk to him. All she wanted to do was relax and let her mind rest so she could figure out a way to make sense of this.

Clark slowly walked up the steps. Lois had mad it over to the steps to his loft and was sitting down starring out into nothingness. He wanted to console her but he knew better. She needed time to think things through. Turning away Clark walked outside and started to bounce a baseball off the side of the barn.

Lois was lost. She could not make heads or tails of anything running through her head. A part of her wanted to say that she should not be surprised. With everything that seems to happen around Clark, she should have seen this coming. When it came down to the facts there are hundreds of people he has saved in this town. It dawned on Lois that Clark must have thought very deeply about her to expose himself like this. Every one of her reporters' instincts told her what the media would do if they found out about all of this. He would be a freak show and no matter what he deserved better. He needed her to be there for him, when all else failed she would be there, she cared for him to much to let him go it alone.

Clark was tossing a baseball in his hands when Lois stepped out of the barn. She looked deferent she was smiling but not the wry smile she usually had plastered on her face. Her smile was completely genuine. Her arms where half crossed behind her back as she slowly walk up to where Clark stood.

"How are you doing?" Clark said out of confusion

"I'm fine, I'll admit that you threw me for a real loop." She had stopped walking and was now standing about five feet from Clark. "But I am proud that you would be brave enough to tell me the truth. I'm also glad that you felt you could trust me."

"I'm tired of lying. Not necessarily about my secret, but you are too important to my life. I couldn't leave you in the dark any longer." Clark took a step forward and took a long look at Lois's face. She was perfect, more than perfect because she was not afraid.

In a moment of true love, they kissed. Neither knew why, there souls seemed to touch on a level only god could have seen.


	2. Decisions

Smallville: An End to a Beginning

Chapter 1: Decisions

Time passed quickly, before he knew it summer was over and Clark faced a tough decision.

"What do you mean you might not be going back to school?" Lois was outraged she and Clark had spent the past few weeks convincing his parents to let him move in with her when school started back. "What about all of our plans?"

Lois and Clark were sitting at a table in Smallville's Talon. Lois's voice was starting to attract attention.

Trying to calm her down Clark explained. "All I meant was that I could join the Metropolis Police Department with my associates."

Lois did not back down. "You need a bachelor degree to become a detective don't you? I mean being a beat cop is important, but why start at the bottom." Clark always seemed to reach for the stars and Lois was having a hard time understanding why this was any different.

"Lois I have giving this a lot of thought and if I start as a beat cop than it should be a lot easier to help people without blowing my secret."

She knew he was right but she still did not understand why he would allow himself to sit on the sidelines while people half as smart as he was achieved what he could do with his hands tied behind his back. She admired his humility but she had always loved his sense of ambition.

"I understand, I'm not sure I like it though." She was being honest she did not like all of this mystery. She knew that keeping Clarks powers, a secret was important but eventually the press would find out. She knew that first hand and she was afraid of what that might cost him.

Clark picked up his newspaper and began scanning the headlines. Looking through the state news section, he found something shocking. "Lois you remember my friend Pete Ross don't you?" Lois only nodded. "It says here that he was just elected to the state legislature."

Lois was happy for Clark's friend but the news only made her more upset that Clark was willing to let life pass him by saving people in the shadows unwilling to step out in the light and show the world how super he really was.

Clark put his newspaper down just as a server gave him their check. "Um Lois, I think we need to find a new place to eat." Clark dropped the check and pulled out his wallet.

"Why? The Talon is the best restaurant in town." Lois looked up from her book and saw Clark pull out twenty dollars.

"Yes but Dave's Dinner doesn't charge twenty dollars for two coffees and a salad." Clark placed the money on the table and looked at the girl behind the counter intently.

Lois followed his gaze to the counter standing there Lana Lang looked over at the two of them with an innocent smile. "The sooner we get out of this town the better."

Lois stood up, turning toward the counter where Lana stood she grabbed Clarks hand led him out of the talon.

Lois and Clark had returned to Clarks loft apartment. Lois was sitting on the couch skimming through the daily planets new international magazine. Clark was preparing to do his afternoon push-ups. Laying his hands on the ground, he lifted his entire body off the floor and positioned himself so that he was parallel to the floor. Beginning gradually and slowly building he started lifting his body up and down until he was moving at super speed.

"Clark why can't you do what these guys used too?" Clark stopped his exercise and took the magazine from Lois. Waling over to his window Clark read the article. It was an editorial by Perry White on the Mystery Men of the forties.

Clark turned to Lois and shook his head. "Lois these people where forced to stop helping people because they wouldn't give up their true identities.

Lois walked over and placed her arms around Clark's waist. "Listen Clark this isn't the forties any more but that's beside the point, people might not react badly if you let them see your face."

"If I did that how would I keep people from finding out my identity?" Clark looked at Lois scrunch her nose.

Clark had her there how could he keep people from putting one and one together. "I've got it, you could wear glasses and slick back your hair when you were Clark and then look natural when you were saving people."

"Hmm, it's an interesting idea. What you are proposing would be the complete opposite to the problem that the mystery men had. Instead of putting on a mask when I was helping people I would be taking off a mask." It was something to consider but he was not sure about how he felt with the super hero concept. All he had ever wanted to be was Clark Kent but his powers kept him from being able to just cut loose.

Lois rested her head on Clark's chest and starred out the large barn windows at the clear night sky. "This is perfect."

Clark agreed he could live his entire life for moments like this. Lana's display earlier that day had left him felling cold. He had never known her to act like that. Clark was surprised to find that he did not think of her much anymore. His life had new meaning and none of Lana's jealousy had any place in it.

Clark closed his eyes and lost himself in Lois's fragrance. After several moments, he stepped back and looked into her eyes. "Let's start packing."

Clarks statement caught Lois off guard, his parents were still getting used to the idea that he was going to Metropolis University. To spring this on his parents this fast was begging for disaster. "Are you sure that's a good idea I mean your parents are barely letting you go to MU as it is."

"Trust me Lois they will understand… eventually." Clark turned around and went to his closet to get his suitcase. "If we hurry we can drop this off in metropolis and be back before ma has breakfast ready."

Lois could see in his face that he was serious. She liked the fact that he was being more decisive. Walking over to his dresser, she started to pull out the whole selves and stacked them on his bed next to the suitcase. Clark started throwing stuff into his suitcase and packing it in. Lois stepped back and watched the action as Clark milled about in his room trying to make sure he had gotten everything. She loved him, he relied on her and she was always willing to offer her shoulder but more than that over the course of the summer, she had learned that she loved him on a level that she had never known before. None of the men she had dated before coming to Smallville had come close to make her feel as safe and secure as Clark did. He was all she thought about nothing else mattered. She had never been short of strength of will but Clark gave her another kind of strength. The strength she got from Clark helped her maintain hope. She could not help but look at Clark and feel like nothing could ever go wrong.

Lois had lost track of time. She stood by the window looking out at the stars as if she was searching for a way to thank Jor-El for sending such a wonderful blessing. When she turned back to the room Clark was standing in the middle of the room with his suitcase by his side. He was looking at her absorbing her presence. Walking over to him, she picked up his suitcase and pecked him on the cheek.

"Are you ready to go Clark?" she had reached the stairs when she turned around. "This should mark a monumental event in our lives."

"Lets just get to metropolis then we can worry about the rest of our lives." Clark walked over to where Lois stood and lifted her up in his arms. "Let's take the scenic route."

With Lois in his arms, Clark began to lift off the ground. Slowly pitching forward Clark turned around and zoomed out the window.

The two of them arrived at Lois's metropolis apartment in short time. Clark could have gotten there faster but he worried about how much G-force Lois could withstand. It did not take long to drop off Clark's things but Lois had wanted to check her messages before heading back.

As it was, Clark began to wonder about while Lois buzzed around her living room and office. Lois's apartment was large for a college student. Most of it paid for by her work at the daily planet. She had been doing freelance work for the planet since graduation. The space had a large living room with an open kitchen. Stepping through the front door lead to the living room and entry hall with the kitchen to the left, to the right of living room was a small hall with a guest bedroom to the right an office to the left and the master bedroom at the end. Clark had already fought over the guest bedroom much to Lois's dismay. For a week after she had constantly referred to him as a "Boy Scout". This did not bother Clark at all as long as she refrained from trying anything.

When Lois had returned from her office ready to head back to the Kent farm she found Clark leaning on the terrace that opened out from her living room.

"Hey stranger" Lois called to Clark from inside her apartment. Walking out side she lend against his strong form. "What are you thinking about Smallville?"

Clark stood up and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I was just admiring this city, its really beautiful at night." Clark leaned in and kissed Lois on the forehead. "I was also thinking about something Jor-El once said to me. He said 'they can be a great people Kal-El if they wish to be they only lack the light to show the way for this reason their capacity for good above all I have sent them you my only son'."


	3. Revelations

Authors note: sorry if this is a day late I was sick the last few days. In this story, Jonathan is not dead. After my last two chapters posted I realized errors that had passed my spelling check. I will try to keep this from happening from now on. Keep reviewing.

Smallville: An End to a Beginning

Chapter 2: Revelations

Morning rose at the Kent farm chickens crowed in the distance. Martha Kent had risen early to prepare breakfast just as she had everyday since she and Jonathan had gotten married. As she came into her kitchen, she found that she was not alone. Sitting down at the kitchen counter was Lois and Clark. Though not completely surprised by the occurrence she wondered how Lois had gotten here from metropolis this early.

"Good morning Lois." Martha walked past the counter to prepare her stove.

"Good morning Mrs. Kent." Lois was sitting across from Clark at the counter. "Can I help you with anything?"

"That's alright Lois. I've got it." Martha began melting grease for the bacon and eggs. "But please tell me you didn't stay here last night."

"Don't worry I didn't." Lois threw Clark a wry glance. "Not that I slept much."

"Lois!" Clark's eyebrows shot up and he immediately turned to his mother. "I swear I didn't do anything."

Martha had nearly lost her favourite skillet. "I'm not sure I want to hear this."

"I'm sorry Martha I was just playing with Clark's nerves." Clark sent her a stern look. "In truth I helped Clark move some things to his place in metropolis."

"In the middle of the night" Martha had recovered her wits and cracked an egg on the counter. "The drive had to take all night."

"Well we didn't exactly drive." Lois smiled at the sight of Clarks face. "We flew"

"Flew, Clark I thought you told me only Kal-El could fly." Martha had turned her full attention on Clark.

This was not how Clark had planed on telling his mother about Jor-El's full message. "Listen mom, I am Kal-El. Whether I like it or not I am the last son of Krypton."

"I always knew that this would happen. I prayed so hard that you would just accept being human." Martha deposited an egg on Clark's plate. "I just want you to know son that I love you no matter what you are. You will always be Clark Kent."

"Thanks mom, I don't know if I want to deal with how dad will react about this." Clark got up from the table. Picking up his jacket, he started to leave the house.

From the kitchen, Martha tried to tell him that his father would still love him. Clark was not sure he believed her. No matter what she or his father said the look in Jonathon's eyes when he and Martha had lost there baby had spoken volumes.

From the front porch of the farmhouse, Clark could see the out line of a man walking down the road. Recognising who it was Clark caught up to him instantly. Standing no more than five feet from the man Clark grabbed his neck. "Hello, professor."

Professor Milton Fines was a thin man with a face the oozed evil. "Hello, Kal-El. Did I come at a bad time?"

"What are you doing here?" Clark let go of the professor's neck.

"My, my, testy aren't we." Fines dusted off his sports jacket. When he looked back up at Clark, a grin stretched across his face. The grin made his face look even more demonic. "What if I just wanted to say hello, you are the only other Kryptonian on this hunk of rock."

"Get lost Fines." Clark turned around and began heading back to the farmhouse.

"Not so fast Kal-El." Fines reached out and grabbed onto Clarks shoulder. "We need to talk."

Fines turned to the fields of corn leading Clark to the middle.

"This should be good enough." Fines turned back to face Clark.

"Why should I even listen to you?" Clark folded his arms and waited for an explanation.

"The people of this planet are beneath us Kal-El." Fines stuck both of his hands in his pockets and began pacing around. "We should be ruling them."

"That's not what my father thought." Clark stood still unwilling to let any emotion show on his face. "My father wanted me to show them how to better themselves."

"Your father was a fool. If he had listened to my warnings sooner he would have been able to warn our people in time. Instead, he let himself get caught up in a pointless struggle against one of Krypton's head generals."

"I don't care what you say. I will not subject the people of this planet just because I am physically stronger than them." Clark could not help but show his anger.

"We aren't just stronger than them Kal-El. We are far superior in intellect as well." Fines came to bear on Clark. "In honour of the house of EL, I will ask you one last time to join me."

"Never" Clark turned to go.

Fines grabbed the collar of Clark's shirt and hurled him over his head. Clark flew back several hundred feet and crashed down causing a mess of dirt and corn to be thrown everywhere. Staggering to his feet Clark could see fines walking calmly up to him.

"It really is a pity you won't join me, but maybe losing everyone you love will teach you where your loyalties should lie." Fines walked away disappearing in the corn.

Several moments passed before Clark had regained his bearings. "My god, mom"

Speeding through the corn Clark reached the house. Nothing seemed to be out of place. Walking into the house, he did not see anyone in the kitchen. Stepping into the living room, he found his mother sitting on one of the couches.

"Mom are you alright" Clark rushed over to his mother to find her face streaked with tears.

"Oh Clark I'm so sorry." Martha erupted in tears.

"What happened" Clark tried to calm her down.

"It was so terrible, he took her. He took Lois he said that if you didn't meet him in metropolis he would kill her." Martha was so distraught she could hardly speak.

"Don't worry mom everything is going to be ok."

Clark left his mother in the house and headed for the yard outside. With determination in his eyes Clark Kent hurled himself into the air with as much force as possible. The only thought on his mind was Milton Fines was going to wish he had never been born.


	4. Conflict

Authors note: thanks for the reviews. I realized that my chapters are somewhat short. I have not published anything but comic books. I will try to work on the length of my chapters. My comic book "Excessum" will be coming out this year check it out. Anyway, keep reviewing.

Smallville: An End to a Beginning

Chapter 3: Conflict

Metropolis was a speck on the Kansas horizon. Unlike cities on the east or west coasts Metropolis was an oddity. For hundreds of miles land was flat and filled mostly with corn. Yet here stood a vast metropolitan city. Here skyscrapers stretched toward the heavens, the light gleaming off the windows of these behemoths was visible farther back then the buildings reflecting it. To all those who lived and farmed out side the city, Metropolis was a beacon. Metropolis was truly the city of tomorrow. This city exemplified truth justice and the American way. Clark Kent would be damned before someone like Milton Fines changed that.

Clark had only been in the air a matter of moments, yet it was almost within his grasp. As he entered the city limits, flying high enough not to alert the populace, he began scanning the area. Using his x-ray vision, Clark searched every building in the city. After several loops around the city, there was still no sight of either Fines or Lois.

The room was dark there were no windows. Lois was not aware of anything but the chair she was sitting on and the ropes binding her hands and feet. Slowly moving her feet, she tried to loosen the rope around her ankles.

"Hello, Lois" fines slowly opened the door behind Lois. "You weren't trying to leave were you?" Fines walked around her chair. Lowering down to a crouch fines spread a broad demonic smile on his face. "We haven't even begun to play."

Fines raised his hand and placed it on her knee. The edge of his sleeve shifted as hundreds of mite-sized spiders crawled onto Lois's leg. Lois began to squirm; she shook her leg hoping to shake them off.

"Don't worry dear their only nanites. They will not hurt you; they should start working up to your ears. From there they will enter your brain and scan your synapses. I want to know exactly what Kal-El has told you." Fines stood up and straightened his jacket.

"Why didn't you just ask?" Lois looked up into his eyes. From the corner of her vision she could she the tiny spiders crawling up her face.

"Why Lois, it would have been a waste the effort. We both know you wouldn't have co-operated." Fine moved to leave the room. "Don't worry it shouldn't hurt too terribly."

Clark had spent hours scanning Metropolis for Lois. After several sweeps, he had found dozens of buildings that were lead lined. Luther corp. owned shockingly only fifty percent of them. To Clark's knowledge, Metropolis was not old enough to have been worried about cold war bombs. So why were there so many buildings built like this? Surely, Fines could not have orchestrated this. He would have needed access to massive amounts of funds, as well as a work force. Fines did not seem the kind of person to rely on humans to do anything. Clark resolved that these buildings might lack lead in their foundations. Clark flew out side of the city reaching a safe distance Clark landed in a field. _Here goes nothing _he thought Clark began to spin on the balls of his feet. Moving at near super speeds, his feet acted like a drill. Drilling down several hundred feet Clark crouched down and stuck his fists forward. Launching into flight Clark made an immediate banking turn. Continuing to turn his body Clark not only began to drill forward in the dirt but sealed the tunnel above him as well.

Clark moved forward always scanning above him. He had spent several minutes digging under Metropolis, making sure the tunnel sealed behind him. The last thing he needed was buildings collapsing due to unsure ground. He had almost giving up hope when recognized a familiar sound. It was faint but unmistakable, the sound of Lois lanes heart. For the life of him, he could not understand why he had not thought of it before. In the previous months, he had committed Lois's heartbeat to memory. Locating the source, he began to drill upward.

"How are we doing my pet?" Fines had come to check up on his patient. "My little friends are being nice to our guest aren't they?"

Lois would have kicked him in the nuts of she had been able. "I'm just peachy thanks."

"Aw, no witty comeback I'm hurt." Fines was enjoying himself. "You know I haven't had this much fun in ages."

Lois stared into his eyes and glared. "Clark will come looking for me."

"I know he will." The ground shook. "There he is now." Fines walked around Lois to stand behind her. "You now I'm looking forward to spilling your guts all over the floor and making your dear little Kal-El watch."

Fines stood up and straightened his jacket. "Let's welcome our new guest shall we."

The door to the room busted open as Clark strode in. Clark rushed around Lois and grabbed Fines up by the collar. "This is over fines."

"I think not." Fines punched Clark in the gut. Staggering back Clark stole a glance at Lois. "Now we were just getting started here I think." Fines walked over and punched Clark in the head sending him to the floor. Fines stood up and wiped Clark's blood off his hand with a handkerchief. Fines smiled and his eyes lit up. "Yes we are going to have lots of fun."


	5. Crisis

Authors note: this chapter has taken me some time to finish I had a hard time deciding how to this. I have decided that I want to do a whole series of stories. Anyway, back to the story hope you enjoy. P.S. I have gotten people telling me that my chapters are raw if any one wants to test read my chapters I would be glad for the help.

Smallville: An End to a Beginning

Chapter 4: Crisis

"Come on Kal-El your not giving up that easy are you?" Fines had tied Clark to a steel table hanging from a wall. For several hours, fines had delighted in repeatedly beating Clark in the head and gut. "I imagined that you would put up more of a fight."

Clark hung there unable to move. He did not understand how Fines was doing this. No one had ever beaten him like this. He could barely muster up the strength to fight his restraints. The clamps that held him against the wall were a steel alloy. Normally he could bend steel like butter so what made this any different. With a great heave, Clark pulled against the restraints as hard as possible. After several moments, he had expended all of his energy with nothing to show for it but sore wrists.

"Now, now, let's not get hasty Kal-El. If you are not going to play nice and let me kill your woman friend in peace then I may have to make a last minute script change. You see Kal-El I plan to make your entire life miserable. Your father ruined me Kal-El he took everything from me. I had spent decades working on earth making it ready for invasion. General Zod and I had worked tirelessly looking for the perfect planet. This world had everything we could have ever wanted. Lush green forests wide spanning waters it was perfect. It even had billions of inhabitants that would fall easily beneath our solar irradiated feet. However, Jor-El had to grow a conscience. He looked upon these savages and saw great power and wisdom. That is why you are here your father knew that I would not stop, even after my adopted planet of Krypton had been destroyed." Fines walk up to Clark and placed his hand upon his chest. "Within your chest beats the heart of Krypton's god. Rao-El was Ruthless in judgment and swift to act. It is a shame to think that such power is wasted on a man without the courage to act."

Fines walked over to Lois and began untying her binds. Looking over at Clark, he gave him a mischievous smile. "Since you're not being any fun I think I will take the young lady back to her family."

Fines pressed his fingers on Lois's temples forcing her to pass out. Lifting up her limp form, he placed her over his shoulder. "That way I can kill her as well as her loved ones."

Clark pulled against his restraints trying to fight them from his wrists. "NOOOOO…" Clark screamed at the top of his lungs. His arms felt like they would rip from his shoulders. Adrenaline pumped so hard and so fast that Clark almost forgot why he was fighting. "Lois…" Fines had gone. There was no trace of him and Clark could not get a fix on Lois's heartbeat. He had lost there was no way to get out of these shackles. No way to get help, Clark was lost in despair.

Clark had passed out for what had seemed like an eternity. When he came, too he could not remember why he was there. Then it hit him there was still a hint of Lois's perfume in the air. That sweet smell brought back all of the pain and all of the shame. Glancing at his hand, he realized something he had not before. There right in front of him was the key. His shackles were Kryptonian. It made perfect sense the Kryptonian symbols on the restraints gave him hope. The symbols spelled the word "locked". Clark cleared his throat. These shackles had to have been from his father's experiments. In Kryptonian, he spoke the words Open Lock . The symbols began to shift they now spelled open. Abruptly the restraints deposited him on the floor. Clark was still weak; there were no windows in the room. Clark must have expended an excess solar energy. There was almost nothing left in his body. Stumbling over to the only door in the room Clark pushed it open. There in front of him was a long staircase. Feebly he began to walk to the steps.

After nearly ten minutes, Clark made it down the six floors to a poorly titled entryway. There in front of him were two large wooden doors. Clark could not get to them fast enough. Bursting through to the Metropolis Street enveloped by the warm summer sun, Clark had never felt better, Clark could have lost him self in the suns sweet embrace. His ears began working in overdrive. He needed to find her heart beat again. He stood still on the sidewalk, eyes closed he began to attract attention form the people going about their daily lives. He was completely oblivious to everyone by Lois's heart. When he found it, he almost did not recognize it. It was erratic with no true rhythm. Something was wrong, opening his eyes Clark launched himself up into the air. The people around him look around in panic no one just disappeared like that. Finally deciding that they had imagined it they went on their way.

Clark had only been in the air for a few seconds but he was already hovering over the house across from Chloe's apartment. Chloe was Lois's best friend and Cousin, Chloe was why Lois had come to Smallville. Clark was trying to figure out what was going on in the house. He could only pick up three bio signs. Fines must be alone with Chloe and Lois. That was good, this why Clark did not have to worry about exposing himself to anyone else.

Fines had both women in Chloe's bedroom. They were sitting on the bed while Fines paced blabbing about how sweet this revenge would be. Lois had been trying to free her hands when Clark burst through the window.

"Hello Professor, you weren't going to get started with out me were you." Clark had a glint in his eye that Lois had never seen before. He was determined. "I would hate to think you were cheated out of your revenge."

Clark advanced forward; reaching Fines the professor just smiled. "You are truly something else Kal-El. I had you figured to be a pacifist like your father."

"Trust me I am far beyond pacifism. If you have hurt either of these women so help me god I will not rest until you pay." Clark backed up a step and looked over towards Lois.

"I won't give up with out a fight Kal-El." Fines began to pace again with both hands in his trouser pockets.

"If that's what you want." Clark began to scan the walls to see if they would hold up much stress.

"Well then I suppose you should know my real name. In earth speak you would pronounce it Brainiac."

Clark rushed to Brainiac and shoved him through the wall. Turning his attention to the girls, he untied their wrists. He had nearly gotten them up when Brainiac strolled through the whole in the middle of the wall.

"Well that's just rude." Fines leaped at Clark and sent him into the wall. Clark moved from the wall, grabbed Fines and threw him into the floor. Before he fell through Fines grabbed hold of Chloe's ankle dragging her with him through the whole in the floor.

"No…" Lois grasped for Chloe but Clark pulled her away and jumped down after him.

Fines crashed through floor after floor. When he finally landed in the basement Chloe fell on top of him in a heap. Brainiac was on his feet by the time Clark reached the bottom. He had Chloe on her feet with his arm wrapped around her neck. Brainiac was in terrible shape. There was massive skin damage. Pieces of flesh hung from his exposed robotic form.

"Not a pleasant sight I'm sure Kal-El. I want you to know that I will never go away. No matter how many times this and other forms die I will live on." A light in Brainiac's eyes flashed. "You have less then 5 seconds to save Lois before my body self destructs. This little gem I have here will die with me however."

Clark paused not sure what to do.

"Hurry you idiot."

In an instant Brainiac Blew up, Clark barely had time to fly back up to get Lois before the flame engulfed her. Flying far away, he was at Metropolis General before the rest of the apartment blew up.

Clark landed on the pavement. As soon as Lois was on the ground, she began to scream. Blood began to run from her ears. Clark could see tiny robots in the blood. Clark picked up Lois and carried her into the hospital. When he reached the desk, she had passed out. Orderlies rushed her onto a gurney.

Rushing down the hallways of the hospital Lois began to start opening her eyes.

"Don't worry Lois your going to be ok." Clark reassured her as they raced to an operating room.

Lois looked up at Clark with a hurt look upon her face. "Who are you?"


	6. Epilogue: The Beginning

Epilogue: The Beginning

Martha Kent had reached the mailbox at the end of her driveway. Among the junk mail was a large brown envelope. The package had a dozen postmarks. There were stamps from Cairo and Tokyo, and London to Mexico City. Martha smiled it had been several months since she had heard from her son. Clark had left the country just before his junior year in college. His life had turned upside down after the one woman he loved suddenly lost all of her memory of him. Clark had been devastated, but in retrospect, the event had caused him to discover who he was and his propose on earth. Clark not only lost his love but his best friend died in an explosion the same day. Since then he had taken to travelling the globe trying to save the world one mudslide at a time. Getting back to the house Martha sat down at her kitchen table and slowly opened the envelope. Inside were several pages of typed paper as well as various scraps. Taking out the letter, Martha read her lost sons words.

_ Dear Mom,_

_ A lot has happened to me since I last wrote. To start I am fine I have meet several people that have changed my life on a profound level. Tell dad I think about him all the time. Every time I save a village from raiders or divert a river, I remember dad's constant lectures on keeping myself hidden. I have mastered making myself vanish as if I was never there. To see the faces on the people who see me for a split second only to find me gone the next is priceless. I do not think I will ever get tired of that. The Mongolians are starting to spread rumours of a mysterious force that punishes those that would harm the innocent and brings fortune to those that act justly. Oddly enough, this reminds me that I am just a man. It would be easy to fall in with the hype, but all that would accomplish is boosting my ego. The moment that I, say that I am superior to man is the moment that I stop being the man that you raised. Jor-El was right we are not superior to humanity if anything we are worse. When the sun Rao destroyed Krypton, my people had become callused to emotions. We lost everything that makes humanity great. Brainiac tried to make Earth into a new Krypton, and if I let myself bask in the glory of my own physical superiority than I will become no better than he was. I have been saving any newspaper articles I could find telling of my mysterious rescues. They have been included with this letter as well as something I found in the fortress. It is the symbol of my familial clan on krypton. The El clan had been one of the ruling houses on Krypton since our patron Rao-El led a war against a group of barbarians that had enslaved much of Krypton. I have been sending in pieces to the Daily Planet's European magazine. Perry White has agreed to see me for an interview in a few weeks to see if I have what it takes to be an investigative reporter. After leaving Smallville, I realized that I had a passion to write. Being a writer for the Planet I should be able to get to accidents and disasters faster than anyone else. I will not lie and tell you that I would not mind running into Lois every now and then. However, she can never know who I am, if she were to become aware of my identity her whole life may become at risk. Give my love to dad and pray for my interview. Once settled in Metropolis, I will come out to see the both of you._

_-your loving son, Clark_

Martha put down the letter and began to look through the articles Clark had sent her. Many were in languages she could not read. Emptying out the envelope an object fell to the table hard. Picking it up Martha realized what it was. It looked like one of Jonathans old army chevrons, only this was much larger. It was in the shape of a diamond, the border was red with a large red "s" set to a yellow background. There was also a hint of blue on the edges. Martha smiled Clark had mentioned that Kryptonians had a penchant for the theatrical. Martha realized that if Clark was going to carry out Jor-El's last wish that he needed to do it as a Kryptonian. Martha left the mess of newspaper on the table and walked up stairs to her sowing machine. She had a lot of work to do before Clark came to visit. As she went up stairs, she thought to her self "a mother's work is never over."

To Be Continued…


End file.
